Obama also mentioned the good that Native Americans have done for the country, "We have made great progress together in recent years, and we will keep striving to maintain strong nation-to-nation relationships, strengthen tribal sovereignty, and help all our communities thrive".

The vote had been almost unanimous on the Democratic Party-dominated city council, with the only real dissent coming from an Italian-American member of the council.

Indigenous People's Day, the holiday that celebrates Native American culture and its people, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in Berkeley this week.

"We had a very hard time in this country for well over a hundred years", said Basil Russo, president of the Order Italian Sons and Daughters of America.

"That's an insult to all those immigrants who put that statue up at Columbus Circle", that parade's chairman, Tony Signorile, told the Daily News.

President Trump does not acknowledge Native Americans in his first proclamation of Columbus Day, breaking with his predecessor. But in the political, social, and racial climate of America today, we're having a lot of conversations about our nation's history, about our leaders, about where we are headed. "If they're going to celebrate Columbus, we need to celebrate the fact that we survived Columbus". This year, it falls on Monday, October 9, 2017.

The annual celebration comes as de Blasio has called for a review of statues, plaques and landmarks around the city - including those that honor Columbus. Or maybe its deep-seated memories of their own ancestors' plight as immigrants, when they faced numerous same prejudices experienced by today's generation of immigrants. In 1891, 11 Italians were lynched in New Orleans by a mob that held them responsible for the death of a police official. While Leftists recently have targeted Columbus for ridicule and rejection, historians agree on his monumental impact. Only 29 percent said they think it is a "bad idea", while 15 percent remained undecided. It is not because they hate Italians or want to wipe away all vestiges of "white history", but rather it is because Columbus-who never even stepped foot in North America-represents a mangled, misinterpreted history, learned through songs and rhyming schemes.

The Bronx Columbus DayParade marched Sunday without the mayor amid controversy over Christopher Columbus's status as an American historical figure. He later went to what is now Central and South America.

Just this year, 20 cities and one county have adopted some proclamation or ordinance declaring the second Monday in October Indigenous People's Day.